


The lost nightingale

by Aleksiya



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Author is not trans, Badass characters, Dystopia, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Gender Dysphoria, How Do I Tag, I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY MISTAKES, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, No beta we die like mne, Non-Graphic Violence, Protective Rina, Science Fiction, Sharing a Bed, The Author Regrets Nothing, but still, but you get the idea, i did my research, protective Kore, there might be triggers for some people so pls tell me, watch out everyone are gay, well kinda minor, well no, ww3 happened
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 02:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23737792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aleksiya/pseuds/Aleksiya
Summary: 'Hide, my little bird! Hide inside the painting and don't look back!'When Rina was 9, the last member of her family was "killed" by the monster that roamed the city of Armidia. Eight years later,she, now grown up, is embarking on an adventure with her friends in search of the truth about her grandfather and the origins of the strange device he gave her. Also, who is this strange man trying to talk to her in her dreams? And what does he want? Well, read to find out...This was originally a dream, however i liked it and the quarantine is killing me with boredom so here we are. It's my first work here and constructive criticism will be appreciated. Also you can find more information about the characters and background on the instagram page i made for it. It's @the.lost.nightingale. Hope you like my story! :)
Relationships: Jaime Calaway/Zephaniah Montero, Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character, Rina Alinsky & Amzi Alinsky, Rina Alinsky & Kore Danforth, Rina Alinsky/Kore Dankforth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue

08.02.2036  
She remembers the day clearly, as if it was yesterday. It started fairly normal. Her grandpa woke her up early so they could go to the market. Even though she couldn't tell what they were going to get, the exact moment that the monster appeared she would never forget. 

Normally it didn't appear in public places, preferring to chase people in pairs, max. What changed it's mind, she did't know, but she couldn't prevent what happened. So they started running. Maybe that was why it chased them. Smelled the fear. It became quite obvious that they won't escape the monster. So her grandfather shoved her behind a trash nearby and trusted a strange device in her hands. 

"We don't have enough time, little bird" he said and there was something in his voice. Something akin to resignation. "Use this device. Say your name and it will send you to the painting. You will be practically invincible inside it."

"What about you, grandpa?she asked. And really, to her naive and young mind it didn't register that he probably wouldn't be coming with her. 

"I will be your distraction. When i give you a sign you will run and hide. Don't look back, sweetheart. Everything will be alright, i will join you shortly after."now that she looked back on it, it was obviously a lie. 

"Promise?""Promise, little bird."there was a sound behind them and he knew there wouldn't be a lot of time left. 

"On three you go! Run, hide, do whatever it takes to find a safe place and use the device!" there was a bit of hesitation in her eyes and her grandfather saw it. 

"Now Rina! Hide, my little bird! Hide inside the painting and don't look back!' she darted as soon as he said that."I'm sorry, kid. Stay strong." was whispered under Amzi's breath, but she couldn't have heard it. 

She didn't know where she was going, but upon looking around, Rina could see. Her little legs had taken her towards the old shack that used to belong to a kind lady that feed the local stray cats. Once there, and sure that the monster wasn't tailing her, Rina pressed the button and said her name. 

To say that the inside of the painting was beautiful would be an understatement. Green grass with vibrant flowers all around , tall dark trees that gave off the vibe of guardians and birds chirping, playing in the sky, she imagined this is what the Earth looked like before the war. No matter, she had to wait for her grandfather, so finding a comfortable place under on of the trees, Rina sat down and hugged her legs close.

And waited.  
And waited some more.  
And some more after that. 

It was around the sixth hour mark that she started doubting her grandfather's words. On the eighth hour mark she realised he wouldn't be coming to her. Rina cried and cried, till she fell asleep. When she woke up she was inside the shack, the device and rolled up painting next to her. 

Even though she knew the monster got her grandfather, the small hope that he could be waiting for her in their apartment wouldn't go away, so she started running towards it. Maybe, just maybe he was lucky enough to escape. 

In front of the small gate she saw Mrs. Gutenberg tending to the small amount of flowers that could survive in this weather. 

"Oh Rina, dear, good to see you. Although, where is you grandfather? It's not good for such a young child to be alone."she finished sternly, but not unkindly. 

" You mean you haven't seen him coming back?"the despair in her voice could be heard and that worried the old woman. 

" No dear, is everything alright? I heard the monster appeared today at the market. Weren't you two there?"at her nod and bowed head the old lady's mind raced." Oh no, don't tell me…"

At this exact moment Rina broke down. Her grandfather was her last family. How could this happen? She felt soft hands encasing her and she sobbed even harder. She would never feel her grandpa's embrace again. He would never wake her up with a kiss to the forehead, nor would he lull her to sleep with his adventurous stories.

"Let it out, child. It's okay. Everything will be ok." Mrs. Gutenberg tried reassuring her, but it didn't work out. 

"N-no! Nothing is g-going to b-be alright! He's d-dead! G-gone." she couldn't believe it. He always seemed so strong to her. He was practically invincible in her eyes. 

"Shh, shh, sweetheart. I know, i know. Cry it all out" 

Rina fell asleep in the woman's arms, or maybe in her own bed after she escorted her to her apartment. She doesn't remember clearly. The first days after that were blurry and filled with tears. Some nights she still expected him to just open the front door and say that this all was a joke. But, it didn't happen. 

Eventually she started dealing with it. Her, at the time, only friend-Kore was quite supportive of her and Kore's mother welcomed her in her home with a hug and encouraging words. She was grateful for that and now, looking back on it, she doesn't know what she would've done without them. 

It took her three months to go back to her own apartment. Then two months after that to stop crying on her grandfather's bed.

She and Kore became closer than ever and she was the only thing that kept her from completely breaking down again. Over the years they befriended more people. Like Zephaniah, the kind giant, who could become cold and detached sometimes and Jaime the kid with sharp tongue and gender dysphoria, who would later become Zeph's boyfriend. 

She would admit to using the device that Amzi gave her quite often. Helping herself and her friends, that's what she did best. And if she started training with her grandfather's impressive gun collection, well, let's just say it was a coping mechanism. After all, he started teaching her the basics when she was a lot younger.

By the time she was 15 she could use any gun that you handed her. Rina was quite proud and often found herself thinking her grandfather would be proud too. Or, atleast, she hoped.

When she was 16, they even started their own group and became something of a heroes in Armidia. Things could never go back to what they used to before the incident, but they were good. Some days were better than other, of course. Not one of them said anything when a week before her grandfather's death anniversary she would disappear. No, instead, when she comes back, they would only offer her their support and undying loyalty. Because every one of them knows what it's like losing someone close. 

But for now everything was alright. 

Until one day it wasn't anymore…


	2. The beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any mistakes. English is not my first language and writing is something i'm new to, so yeah. Feel free to point them out.

Wherever she looked, there was only darkness. No sound, no light, nothing. 'Not this again' she thought, already knowing what was going to happen. After a few moments she saw a figure out of the corner of her eyes. 'Finally. I wonder if this time i would find who the hell he is.'. Oh well, here comes nothing. 

"Hello? Hey, do you hear me?" she screamed. "I really don't know what's going on!" Rina tried running towards him, but the more progress she made the farther away he was. Until finally he turned around and a flicker of hope coursed through her, that maybe, this time she would see his face. But to no avail, before he could fully turn around a strong feeling of being shook woke her up. 

Before she could start trashing against the person shaking her, Rina registered the stranger's face. Fortunately, it was none other than Kore Dankforth, local badass and her best friend. 

"Eureka, i was starting to worry. You alright?" her worried tone was obvious. It was sweet and something that can only be heard when it came to her friends. 

"Yeah, yeah, just had a strange dream. You know, the one i've been telling you about."Rina sighed, getting up and going towards her closet to find some clothes. Grabbing a tank top and her normal shorts, she quickly started undressing. 

" The one with the dude who has his back turned towards you?"Kore asked, plopping on Rina's bed and looking at her. She wasn't shy about checking her out, when it came to these two, there was no shame between them. They basically grew up together and shared many showers through the years, so Kori was used to seeing her undressed. 

Rina hummed and strapped the gun holsters to her thighs, as well as the one on her back. She didn't know what, but something was telling her she might need it. Call it a gut feeling, if you wish, but it was something that she trusted. 

" Yeah, that one. I wonder what it means?" she mused, putting her socks on. Next were her boots and finally her trusty cloak.That thing was getting old and looked quite used, but it belonged to her mother, so she was reluctant about throwing it away. Plus, it was pretty comfortable. She finished with putting her guns in their respective holsters. 

"Dunno. You're the one who's good at deciphering these kinds of things. Anyways, the others are waiting outside, so we should hurry up, pretty bird. "she gestured vaguely towards the window and stood up. Rina rolled her eyes and looked around the bedroom to see if she was missing anything. Nodding to herself, sure that she got everything, grabbed her bag and looked at her friend. 

"After you, pretty bird"she grinned. Kore smirked and charged towards her. Bringing her up bridal style she quickly left the apartment and ran down the stairs, all while Rina struggled."Put me down, Koriiii! I swear to god if you don't put me down.."before she could continue, she was interrupted. 

" Whatcha gonna do, little bird? Hit me? Haha as if. That's what you get for being sassy with me.""You're insufferable." "I try." Kore's grin was wide and before long they were in front of her apartment building. 

"You can let me go already, you know that right?" Rina asked. "Yeah, i know. But where would be the fun in that?" despite her words, the bigger girl put her down gently. Smiling softly at her friend, Kore couldn't fight the warm feeling in her body. Her pretty bird has grown up so much and she couldn't be more proud of her. Staring at her eyes, she can remember being mesmerised with them when she was little. Not that she didn't think they were pretty now, in fact it seemed like with age they grew even more magical. But, seconds later, a voice broke her from her thoughts. 

"Get a room you two" the voice belonged to one Jaime Calaway. He stood on the other side of the fence, holding the hand of one Zephaniah Montero. They both were smirking in a knowing way, although Jaime's smirk was more teasing than his boyfriend's one. 

"Shut up, Calaway." Kore said, wisely ignoring Rina's blush. "Where were you anyway?" she asked confused, seeing as she left them in front of the 'porch'. 

"You took too long and Jaime was getting restless, so we took a look around the block."Zeph said in his normal calm tone. Kore was about to come up with an excuse, however she was interrupted. Again. It seemed like today was don't-let-Kore-finish-a-sentence type of day. 

" And it was good we did. Saw something suspicious. About a dozen guys circling your apartment and the whole block for that matter. Obviously not from here, their clothes looked new and way too layered for desert weather" at that both girls looked alarmed. 

"People from the capital?" Rina asked, worry evident in her voice. They've never dealt with them before, per se, however they have come a couple of times."The most logical answer. Only they get these kinds of clothes. The question is, what do they want?" Zeph stated, suspecting the answer. Looking around Jaime noticed two of the men walking towards them. There was a determined look in their eyes. Because of their obvious height difference, he named them in his head 'The tall one' and 'The small one'. Not very original, but eh. He was tired. 

"Looks like we're gonna find out soon." he pointed at the men and almost immediately the whole group tensed. Rina's hand hovered over her guns, while Kore already looked ready for a fight. The boys were tense and knew what to do if it came down to violence. Every one of them knew. 

The men stopped about 4 meters from them and looked at Kore. "Miss Alinsky?" And yeah, they were definitely from the Capital. No one here spoke so formally. 

Rina raised her hand in a mock greeting and they looked at her. "That would be me. Who are you and what do you want?"she said, her voice cold and nothing like a few minutes ago. The men looked at each other, seemingly communicating only with their eyes. Then they looked back at the group. 

"We are agents from a private organisation called 'The eye of Intra'. It came to our attention recently that your grandfather gave you a certain device before he disappeared. We would like to retrieve this device from you. Once done, we will leave you alone."One of the two said, his voice deep and detached. 

Rina narrowed her eyes, but before she could say something, Kore beat her to it." How exactly did this information came to your attention? And why do you want it? What would you do with it?"The protectiveness was obvious in her voice and if they weren't in a potentially dangerous situation, Rina would probably blush." And why only recently? Her grandfather died years ago."At that she barely suppressed a flinch. 

"I'm afraid we cannot disclose this information, seeing as it is classified. However we can guarantee you that the device would be in safe hands."the tall one said, his voice sounding placating. 

" You can't give us any information, but you expect from us to handle it over just like that?"asked Zeph, looking at them with narrowed eyes. Those types of people he despised the most. 

" I'm not asking anything from you, whoever you are. I'm asking miss Alinsky and miss Alinsky alone. It will do you good to keep that mouth shut. If you don't, well let's say it won't end good for you. " the tall one said, sounding condescending. Like talking to a small child. That was a mistake. Pulling her gun out faster than either man could comprehend, Rina pointed it towards the one who was talking. 

"Ok, listen up here. If you dare threaten one of my group again, i will put a bullet through your head. If i feel merciful. So either answer our questions or get the hell out of our town."she said and at moments like that it was evident why she was the leader. 

At the sight of a gun a few bystanders scattered off, however more of the Capital's men came around. There were about 15 and every one of them looked ready for a fight. Including the two, who were talking right now. Rina sighed and swiftly pulled out her second gun. Next to her Kore took out two daggers, while nodding to Zeph and Jaime. The plan was obvious, when the fight started, they would try not to get in the girls' way but helping from the 'sidelines'. Kore smirked. 

"I bet i can take out more men than you" she challenged. "Oh you're on."Rina accepted and got ready to fire, before a scream pierced the air. 

"THE YAGA IS HERE!" screeched a woman, running towards (presumably) her home to hide. Rina cursed under her breath, while the men looked confused. "The Yaga?" murmured the first man and looked in the direction the woman came from. Seeing that they were distracted she turned around, fired two shots at the agents there and started running towards her home. Sure that her team would follow, she searched for the device in her bag, but it wasn't there. 'Shit' she thought as Kore slammed the front door, hopefully preventing these assholes from chasing after them. Running up the stairs she wondered why haven't Rina used the device yet. 

"Pretty bird, that device of yours would be really useful right now."The buff girl said and forcefully shut the door to their leader's apartment after assuring that everyone were in. 

"I know! It's not in my bag though!" "What do you mean it's not in your bag? It's always there!" Jaime said, panic filling his voice. "Well now it's not. I must've left it somewhere here."but before she could move from her hiding spot, a tall figure appeared just outside her window." Shit, it's here already. Stay hidden, it shouldn't alert it if we are inside."she whispered, pulling closer to Kore. On the other side of the room Jaime and Zeph nodded huddled together for comfort. 

The monster looked around a few time, before seemingly passing on. They knew better than to move yet tho. Even though screams were heard from outside none of them even flinched, not wanting to get Yaga's attention. After half an hour, when things quieted, Rina got up and dared looking outside the window. There was no trace of it and she nodded towards her friends. Quickly going through her stuff she found the device and painting and threw it at Zephaniah. 

"The coast is clear. Jaime, Zeph, would you mind quickly looking around the block to see if the men/monster are still there. If yes, use the device." They nodded and went out. Rina sat down with a sigh and looked at Kore. "That's the second time this week the monster has come and it's only Wednesday. What is going on? A few months ago it only went out once a month."

"I don't know, pretty bird. It's suspicious that these men came just as the Yaga began going out more, but it's alright. We are still here."she said, knowing what her friend was thinking. She was probably blaming herself. Rina was prone to do that when someone was injured or something went wrong. 

" Yeah, but what if next time it wouldn't go so well? What i did today, forgetting the device, was stupid and dangerous, a thing that almost costed us our life. All because of a dumb mistake."she let her head fall in her hands, guilt clouding her mind. 

"You're right, it was a stupid mistake" at this Rina flinched "But everything worked out in the end. All of us are safe and the boys know that normally you are way more responsible. So don't beat yourself down for just one mistake."she finished, placing a hand on her shoulder and pulling her in for a hug. She smiled when Rina relaxed and heard a quiet 'thank you' "No problem, pretty bird"

The boys got back five minutes later and seeing Kore hugging their leader they immediately joined. It was kinda awkward, seeing as her couch wasn't really wide, but it didn't matter. At that moment none of them wanted to let go. 

"Alright, alright, as sweet as this is i would like to hear what is the situation outside."Rina said, untangling from the hug. The boys let go and immediately started telling her. 

" No trace of them. Either they found a place to hide in which Jaime couldn't see them or the monster got them. I'm inclined to believe the latter because they seemed confused by the declaration of a monster. " Zeph said, making his boyfriend beam at his trust. 

"Good, at least we won't have to deal with them. But from what they said, i think that they won't be the last coming for the device" Rina suggested, looking thoughtful. Something else was bugging her. " Another problem is this 'The eye of Intra' organisation. Who the hell are they?"

"Agree. I don't think anyone here could tell us that-"started Jaime, before being interrupted by Kore(finally she interrupted someone). 

"Actually, i may have a person in mind, who could know."she shrugged as the others looked at her. 

Well, one thing was for sure. Today was the start of an adventure...


	3. Second

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hii, another day, another chapter. I think that a chapter a week woud be the average, however im not 100% sure. also i procastinated and pulled out this one out of my ass the last night, so it may not be as good as the others. Once again, english isn't my first language and i don't have a beta(unless you consider autocorrect) so excuse any mistakes and if you have any criticism i would be glad to hear it. For now, enjoy!:)

The market was bustling with people despite the fact that the Yaga has attacked 2 hours ago. Grown ups making deals in it's shadows. Others shopping or trading with the merchants for food or other necessities. Kids were running around, sweet fruits in their hands. Most of them anyways. Jaime, seeing a skinny boy with raggedy clothes and empty hands, quickly whispered in Zeph's ear. 

"Go ahead with the girls. I will be with you in a few minutes." his boyfriend looked at him amused, already knowing what the boy was gonna do. 

"Be quick and don't get caught." Zeph answered and gave him a kiss on the head. Jaime nodded and pulled his scarf over his head. Falling out of step with his friends, he stopped in front of a stand, full of both exotic and more common fruits. He made a show of looking at the peaches while quickly slipping a few apples in his satchel. The owner, too busy talking with another man, didn't notice, but just to be sure Jaime called him over. 

"Hello, can i get one of those peaches."he said pointing to one furthest from him and the merchant tossed the peach. In return he gave him two golden coins and waved. The man wouldn't notice that a few apples missed until it was too late. Biting into the peach, he went to the little boy he saw. 

"Hey, chub, here you go." Jaime tossed him an apple and gave him a big smile. The child returned the smile with a grin of his own and profusely thanked him. "Don't mention it, now go." the boy scurried off, probably to go play with the other kids. 

Quickly catching to the others he gave them a grin. Grabbing Zeph's hand he nuzzled it and in return got an amused chuckle and a kiss to his own hand. Hearing a cough from the front he turned and saw the girls pretend gagging. He rolled his eyes and smooched his boyfriend as loud as he could. 

"Come on, love birds, we're almost there. He doesn't know our names. We'll be meeting with him a an old pub." Kore said, looking at them, turning serious. "A public place with plenty of witnesses. However there will be people there, who are less friendly. Stay close and don't do anything stupid." the irony that she was saying this didn't escape her, but she wanted to be sure that her team would be safe. Rina nodded at her and went over the plan quickly. 

"We meet this man, he hopefully gives us informations and then we go back at my apartment. If a fight breaks out, i want minimal injuries. We have other jobs to take care of, so be careful. We use codenames while there." they all nodded and continued on. The pub wasn't anything special, an overgrown shack with a red cloth, being used as a door. Kore lifted up the cloth and the others went through, looking at the interior. Everything screamed cliché bar, however they continued on, towards a table with a tall man sitting, his head down. 

"Jiro!" Kore greeted, sitting across him, Zeph on her right, Jaime on her left and Rina-standing behind her.

"Ah, Vulture, finally. Gonna introduce me to your group?" he asked, his voice rough and deep. Lifting his gaze, they could see two brown eyes looking at them with amusement. 'Closed body language' Jaime thought 'Seemingly relaxed, however there's a certain tension in his stance.' he observed and tuned back to the conversation. 

"The boy on my right is Dark owl, our medic. On the left is Mockingbird, team recorder. Behind me is Nightingale, leader and of course, you know me." she gestured to each of them and while they nodded, he regarded them. Of course he knew who they were, the whole town knew. While they were young, they weren't a group to be messed with and he respected that. Although, a bit of teasing wouldn't be bad. 

" Why don't you sit down, pretty bird. Just standing around doesn't look comfortable."at his words Vulture narrowed her eyes."She won't sit. And don't call her pretty bird." if looks could kill, Jiro would be dead by now. 'Huh, a protective streak, who would've guessed' he thought, but before he could retort, Nightingale spoke. 

"Please don't let my standing around distract you. Both of you. I think there are more important things to be discussed."she gave them a look and Kore felt like a child being scolded by her mother. Rina is probably the only person who can make her feel like that. 'Whatever, she's right.'with that thought she addressed the man in front of her. 

" I contacted you, 'cause of a group of men calling themselves 'The eye of Intra'. Do you have any information on them?'he looked a little startled at that and straightened up. 

" Haven't heard that name in a while . Of course i know them. They used to be an urban legend, however during the war their leader lent most of his men to the U.S. forces. People were suspicious and these suspicions only increased after most of these men came back almost unscathed. One thing led to another and before anyone knew, The eye was controlling the Capital."at his words Rina turned thoughtful. So, some kind of a secret organisation was in control of one of the largest cities in the world. Okay, she could cope with that. But what the hell could they want with her grandfather's device? Pulling it out together with the painting she showed them to him. 

"Do you know anything about this?"his eyes widened and he took the device to look at it. "Where did you get this from?" he asked incredulously and looked at her. "My grandfather gave it to me, before he was attacked by the Yaga. Why?" Jiro opened his mouth to answer her but before he could a gunshot pierced the air. It's target? Jiro's forehead. And it went right through, his words dying at his tongue and slumping over. A second went before Rina grabbed her gun in return and turned around. There stood a man, no older than 20 with a smirk on his face. His clothes were pristine, kinda resembling the men's from earlier, however his were better. More ornate. 

"Well now that won't do. Can't let him tell all our secrets now can we."his voice was deep with a sinister note to it."Now, everyone but those four kid-get the hell out of here."when no one moved he looked around and narrowed his eyes "Now."at that people scrambled to get out of the pub and before long they were the only ones remaining. Kore stood up next to Rina, ready for a fight. Jaime was right next to her, a hand hovering over his dagger, and Zeph next to their leader, looking intimidating. Rina was the first one to utter something. 

"Who are you and what do you want?" she asked, still pointing her gun at him. However he didn't look intimidated. In fact, his stance was relaxed, like he didn't care that someone was pointing a weapon towards his face. 

"Well you certainly don't beat around the bush. My name is Silas Daddario. You can back down, i'm not here to hurt you. In fact, quite the opposite. I'm here to enlighten you!" he said, getting a chair and sitting down. "Which one of you is the Alinsky girl?" 

"Why do you wanna know?" Kore asked, instinctively stepping in front of her friends. But before she could do anything, Rina put her free hand on Kore's shoulder and shook her head. They looked at each other for a few seconds, a silent conversation being held, before Vulture nodded, but didn't step back. 

"It seems that these days my name has gotten quite popular. What do you mean enlighten us?" Rina said with confidence in her voice and while she didn't put down her gun, she let it relax in her hand.'I guess if he was here to kill us, he already would've.' At least she hoped she was right. 

" Yeah well you have something important that shouldn't be in your hands. My organisation wants this thing and we are…inclined to compromise with you about it." to compromise? 

"What do you mean compromise?" Zeph asked and Rina was glad, because there was still a little bit of shock. "I was informed that you don't like being separated. Fair enough, our offer is for you and your friends to come to the Capital with your device and stay a month. During this month you will give it to us and in return we will provide you with new clothes, a place to stay as well as other things and opportunities. After this month, if you choose to stay you will be welcomed, however if you choose to come back here, we won't stop you. So what do you say?"Silas finished and waited for their answer. They looked uncertain, before the other girl(Kore) started tapping on Rina's shoulder quietly. At first he thought it was a nervous tick, however soon enough the tall boy looked at the two sharply. He tapped his own frantic sequence, before the leader gave him a sharp look and tapped twice. Seeing that they were still reluctant, Silas cleared his throat. 

"We can also give you information about the monster, which stays here as well as…"at this he hesitated"...Amzi Alinsky and other family members." With these words he knew he had their attention. Rina looked alarmed and maybe, just maybe, a little bit hopeful. 

" What kind of information?" Rina asked reluctantly, trying to shovel down the hope that was blooming in her chest." About his disappearance and possible death. We can also give you files about former army generals."at this Kore looked interested and they looked at each other. Before long they looked at the two boys, who while still uncertain, nodded their heads. 

"Alright, you have a deal. However, we have a few terms of our own."Rina pulled herself together and at this moment she looked like the leader that she was."We will travel tomorrow. We have a job that has to be done tonight. That is the first. The second is that if you deny us information, which is essential, we will pull out of this agreement. The same goes if you threaten any of us. And finally, if at some point one of us, excluding me, asks to be sent back here, you won't object in any way, shape or form. We only want this."he looked at them with a calculating look and after a few seconds he nodded. 

" Alright, these sound reasonable enough and we will try to comply with them. Can i have your names?"he asked. Silas already knew the leader's name, however the other three were a mystery. 

" Next to me is Kore Dankforth, codename Vulture. The tall guy is Zephaniah Montero, codename Dark Owl and next to him is Jaime Calaway, codename Mockingbird. Tell these to someone who doesn't absolutely have to know them and you'll be dead. Oh and one last thing."she turned and nodded at Kore, who grinned and stalked towards him. He stood up, slightly unsure what to do, but also figured that she wouldn't kill him. Before long Kore's fist connected with Silas jaw and he staggered backwards. 

" That's for killing Jiro. He was quite useful, you know." she said and together with the others exited the pub. Rina was the last one to leave, and while turning towards him she said:

"Until tomorrow. We will meet you at the big fountain at 9 o'clock."

With that she turned and left with her friends to plan for the night.


	4. Third

Third  
Armidia was a shit hole. Full of seedy people with bad morals and worse tempers, the city wasn't for the faint of heart. Everybody knew it and no one denied it. Which is why you have only one reason to be coming in the city. You want to trade/sell something. Be it on the more tame side, like sweet exotic fruit and colorful fabrics, or on the more….illegal side, like weapons, drugs and, if you're feeling brave, humans. They monitor new goods coming from outside and if the seller or buyer are gonna use these goods for bad reasons, they intervene. Such was their mission tonight. They got intel that the weapons trader Jim Walter will meet in the end of the city with some of the local dealers. Normally they wouldn't get involved, however this man is the head of one of the largest human trafficking businesses in their area, so they want to get rid of him. Permanently. 

The plan is simple. There is a tall building right next to the meeting spot. Once upon a time, before the war, it must have been an office building or something like that , however now it served as the perfect spot for Riina, who will play the role of a sniper tonight. Kore and Jaime will take care of his men and if someone get injured, Zeph has to step in and help them. All in all, a standard mission. 

An hour before the meeting they went to the building. Rina had to set things up and quickly go over the details. "I want you two to silently get rid of his men. He has to have no idea till the last moment, so i can get a clear shot. Leave one or two alive for interrogation, but other than that you're free to do whatever you want. You can scare the other men, however don't kill them. We're here to make a statement. I want your comms on, the whole time. Is everything clear?"they nodded at her. See, technology wasn't really common anywhere outside of the three Capitals, however being the daughter of a former general, Kore got her hands on four communicators years ago, which they use on every mission. Really, Rina didn't know what they would to without them. They put in their comms and went to their hiding spots. 

After a few minutes a voice tuned in.   
"Vulture here, i'm in position."  
"Mockingbird in position too."they was silence for a few seconds before the comms cracked.   
"Dark owl in position."Zeph was the last to tune in and with that, the waiting started. 

" Took you long enough."Vulture teased." Yeah well, it's not an easy job to find a place in which i'm close enough to be ready for an emergency, but far enough to remain unseen. "Owl huffed and heard a quiet laugh." All i hear are excuses."."Funny, i can say the same when we talk about your relationship with-" but before he could continue, Nightingale's voice reached their ears. 

"I see Walter's car. It seems he's the first one to arrive. Vulture, Mockingbird go on only when you're sure he's out of earshot."She heard both of their confirmation and got ready. From where she was, Nightingale could see her teammates taking down one guard after another and in this short time, the other dealers have come. From what she saw, they were the usual ones. Not the best people, but they didn't bother the city's innocent, so the team would leave them alone. Maybe with a little bit of a warning, so they don't make deals in the future with people like Walter. 

"Vulture here. The guards, are taken care of. The only remaining are with Walter. We have one guy who can give us information with us." Nightingale hummed and addressed Owl "Dark, you feel like being the interrogator tonight?" "Yeah, why not." "Alright, Vulture, please escort the man to Owl. Be quick and go back as soon as possible."hearing confirmation through the comms, she went back to observing the target. Walter was an average man with average build and average looks. Really, there wasn't anything remarkable about the man, except that he was a huge pervert, pedophile and all in all a bad human being. He won't be missed by anyone, that was for sure. 

The men met up, shook hands and started talking. This was her time. "The coast is clear, right?" "Aye aye, captain." confirmed Mockingbird and Nightingale smiled. 'Good, this will be quick'. She looked through the scope and saw that the men were in position and didn't expect anything. Taking a moment to reposition the sniper rifle, she breathed deeply and pulled the trigger. Quick, precise shot right through the head. Dead in seconds, exactly what she'd planned. 

There were a few second silence, before the other men scurried off fast. They probably knew it was the team. Kore and Jaime made a quick work of the remaining four guards. Another five minutes went by and, now sure that they were alone, Nightingale started packing up her rifle. "Mission completed. Good job team. Owl, are you ready?" "Yes, i have the info. What do we do with him?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Looking up from his hiding spot, he saw both Jaime and Kore chatting and coming towards him. " Leave him, he won't make it through the desert night. I assume that both Vulture and Mockingbird are with you?"he hummed and gave a kiss to his boyfriend. Kore made a fake gagging noise next to them and couldn't wait for Rina to show up. " Alright i'm coming, stay there."with that the comms died and the mission was done.   
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2 hours later  
They were all in Rina's apartment. It was their default place for staying after a mission. They would eat, cuddle up together and spend the night telling stories or just being together in general. Tonight was the same, except the team will have to discuss this adventure they're apparently going on. While Rina and Zeph were in the kitchen, making some dinner, Jaime and Kore piled up some blankets and pillows on the couch and around it for maximum comfort. The smell from the food was heavenly and they can't wait to dive in. As if reading their thoughts Rina called from the other room. 

"Just a few more minutes and it will be ready. How about you get some cups and plates and put them on the table?" the "table" was a quite generous word for the old wooden crates, glued to each other. . After the first few nights when they wanted to eat in the living room, but had to leave their dishes on the floor, this was the solution Rina came up with. It wasn't the best, but eh, who cared. It served it's purpose quite well. 

The cups and plates were put, as well as some forks and spoons. They were having a kebab, their favourite dish. It wasn't often they ate it-mainly because it was hard to find rice in a desert city-but when they did, almost no leftovers were, well, left. Piling around the 'table' they each had a serving and started talking about tomorrow. 

" Their offer is way too good to be entirely true. Capital people don't like outsiders, so giving us the opportunity to stay there is strange. We don't know if they'll keep their word so I want everyone to look after one another. We don't know how strong they are, or how skillful, so please be careful. "Rina started and everyone looked at each other. For the past three years they had each other's back and the thought of one of them being hurt didn't sit well. She saw them as a family and knew that if it came down to it, she wouldn't hesitate to take a bullet for them. And she didn't doubt that they felt the same.

"Yeah, we got it pretty bird. I wonder if we're gonna travel on foot or by a vehicle. Also, my mother said that she's down for keeping the city safe while we're gone." Kore gulped down the last of her serving and stood up to get more. "Anyone want more?" Rina and Zeph shook their heads, while Jaime happily gave her his plate. She rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen, keeping one ear on the conversation. From her spot she could see the pretty bird curling up into the blankets, looking adorable. Rina was always like that, once the temperature dropped below 20 °C, she would immediately snuggle into something, be it a blanket or, on more occasions than one, Kore herself. 

"I don't know, but it may be for the best if we get as little things as possible. Probably only the essentials, clothes and weapons. Zeph, they'll probably have good first aid kit and possibly a medic, but i don't trust them, so get what you think will be important. Kore, can you carry a few of my guns in your bag? I don't know if i'll have enough room in mine. "at both Kore's and Zeph's sounds of agreement Rina relaxed and a silence fell for a few minutes, before Jaime broke it. 

" You think they would have, you know, equipment to help me with my…problem?" his tone was desperate. It was a known fact that testosterone injections, surgeries and other things, helping with a transitions weren't available anywhere. But the Capital was huge and so much more technologically evolved, so maybe they had them there? This thought has been circling Jaime's mind since they agreed to go and normally he wouldn't let himself be so hopeful, however he can't help but think that this was his chance. 

"Oh, i don't know, little bird. They probably do. But even if they don't, you will always be like a little brother to me." Rina said and went to hug him. She knew how hard it was for him, people misgendering him, judging him and looking down at him for something he can't change. The team tried to be as supportive as possible, however there were still days, in which he just disappeared for a few hours. Where he went, what he did, she didn't know, but when he came back, he looked better, so she didn't pry. 

" Little brother? You know i'm older right? In fact, older than both you and Kore. " he smiled a little bit, relieved by what she said. Jaime was glad that he had such good friends and the most amazing boyfriend. "By an year! As far as i'm concerned you're still a little squirt." Kore answered, sticking out her tongue. He rolled his eyes and felt Zeph pulling him closer. Looking at him, Zeph smiled softly and mouthed 'i love you', to which he answered with 'love you too'. 

" Whatever, Kori. Why don't we change the subject? Like how you have a big ass crush on a certain someone?" he teased and laughed when Kore went red. Next to her Rina looked a little bit confused, but there was a slight blush, dusting her cheeks. They looked at each other and met eyes, before blushing harder and looking away. 

" Shut up, squirt."Kore mumbled and Zeph snorted." It's a lost cause, little bird, they are oblivious. "he said and shook his head, looking amused. Their leader still looked confused, but let it go. It was getting late and tomorrow was a big day. 

" Alright, i think it's time for bed. Tomorrow we'll get up early so you can go pack and i want you 8.50 at the fountain."they all nodded and cleaned the table. The boys settled on her couch, like always, seeing as it was quite big, while Kore and her slept in her bed. Putting on a huge t-shirt and some shorts she went to bed and snuggled up next to her best friend. They always slept like that, cuddled together. Desert nights were always cold and seeing as Kori was a human furnace, Rina can't help but snuggle up to her. She was lucky that her friend didn't have anything against it. Really, they were so close, Rina sometimes forgets that she can't just kiss Kori on the lips, or grab her hand and hold her till eternity. It was a sobering thought, one that bothered her, but she's not really sure why? Did she felt something for Kore? And if yes did Kore felt the same? Whatever, this wasn't the time to think about that. 

"Good night, pretty bird." 

"Night, Kori." 

When she was somewhere between sleep and consciousness, she could swear she heard a quiet 'i love you'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey,,,how r y'all doing? Sorry for not posting last week, but school got in the way and this chapter fought me the whole time. I wanted to show you the team's relationship with one another, as well as starting to show alittle bit of Jaime's struggle. If you're not happy with how i portray ceratin character, im more than happy to hear you thoughts and suggestions on how i can improve. That's all for now, hope you stay safe and healthy:)


	5. The morning after

Fourth  
Mornings after their sleepovers are always the best, in Rina's opinion. Waking up in her soft bed, with sunshine beaming through her curtains and surrounded by Kore's warmth was something that she wished was an everyday thing, but alas, it was not. She could faintly hear Zeph's and Jaime conversation from the other room, as well as the clanking of dishes. Either they were making breakfast(read, Zeph making breakfast, because his boyfriend was a disaster in the kitchen) or they were cleaning the dishes from last night. Whichever it was, Rina was grateful for the sound. Normally the apartment was so quiet and empty, but in these moments it felt alive and, dare she say, homey. (Something that she hasn't felt in this house since her grandfather's dead). 

"You awake, pretty bird?" Kore's voice pulled her out of her musings. Looking up, Rina saw her friend smiling at her, looking annoyingly awake and cheerful for 7 in the morning. 

"Mmhm, pretty tired tho. Didn't sleep well, i had the same dream as before."the thought about the connection between the dream and this whole situation crossed her mind, however she left worrying about it for later." C'mon, let's get up. I think the guys are making breakfast." untangling herself from Kore, Rina got up and quickly went to her bathroom. She was really grateful that the city at least had a pretty good plumbing, 'cause honestly, she didn't know what she would do without running water. Brushing her teeth she heard a muffled curse from the bedroom that indicated that Kore stubbed her toe on the bed's corner. Again. Rina let out an amused huff and washed her face, before coming back to her room. 

"Go help the boys with whatever they're doing. I'll get dressed and come in a minute."Rina said as she went through her closet. 'Hmm, what to wear?'. Kore groaned and mumbled something about having to be the third wheel, but despite that, she stood up and left her leader. 

Rina had two options. If they were travelling by foot, she should wear something light and airy, seeing as the desert' s days were extremely hot. And they would probably walk for quite awhile, so she probably should get a shawl to keep her warm in the nights. On the other hand, if they were travelling by a vehicle(highly unlikely but possible) they wouldn't spend so much time in the desert and, from what she's heard, the climate of the Capital was more…temperate. What to choose?

Rina was pulled out of her musings by Kore, who screamed from the kitchen. "Pretty bird, it will be great if you come out today.". Rolling her eyes, she just said 'fuck it' and put on an outfit similar to yesterday's one. Almost done now, but the other 'accessories' could wait for a bit, she opened the door and went to the kitchen. The smell of herbs and fruits hit her nose and Rina smiled softly. 

"Chamomile tea?" she asked Zeph, who was busy cutting some fruit. "Yeah, i figured we could use some for today. Are you ok?". And wasn't that the question. Was she ok? Probably, she felt normal. But to be fair her normal was stressing about the city, her team and what could happen. So maybe she wasn't ok.

Her own emotions often frustrated Rina. She would feel something strongly, like anger or sadness and instead of experiencing them like a normal person, her mind would tell her to analyse them. She becomes detached from her body and would just think about them. See how they affect her. It was a daily occurrence so by now she's used to it, but it didn't mean it was any less annoying. Once again she was broken out of her thoughts. Today was becoming a day for daydreaming, it seemed. 

"Taking your expression into consideration, you are probably overthinking something again, so instead of answering me, why don't you sit down and drink your tea." Zeph looked at her with a look that screamed 'we will talk about this later', but at the relieved sigh she let out, his eyes softened and he patted her on the shoulder." Thank you, Zeph. "and she meant it, of course. 

Rina grabbed her cup and went to the table. Kore was lazily stretching out in one of the chairs and when her friend sat down she grinned. Next to her, Jaime was playing with some kind of a wooden puzzle and barely looked up. In front of them were set two cups filled with coffee. Unfortunately her teammates, except Zeph, didn't appreciate tea(or at least the one she had and loved) and preferred something stronger to wake them up. Whatever, their loss. 

Finally all four of them were sat at the table with some fruits, yogurt and honey, so now felt like a great time to plan. "So, what's on today's agenda?" It was surprisingly Jaime who spoke first, finally putting the puzzle down. "Well, i'm thinking after breakfast me and Kore will go to her apartment and get her things, while you guys get your things? Remember, don't pack unnecessary things and be at the fountain around 8.50. We have around an hour and a half so i think we'll manage."They all nodded and settled for less serious topics. 15 minutes later the boys left, so Rina turned towards her friend. 

" Can you take care of the dishes while i pack?"." Yeah, no problem."Smiling, she nodded and went to her room to pack. Putting some clothes in, as well as a pair of shoes she wondered how many guns exactly should she get. Her long range ones will not serve great purpose, so she focused on the close range. Handguns were the best choice as they were the most compactable, so she strapped two to her holster and threw a few in her backpack. Another additional one in her satchel, just to be sure. Looking at her shotguns, she hesitated a few seconds, but finally relented and strapping one on her back. 'Better be safe than sorry.'. Finally she put in a couple of packets of bullets and hoped that she could find the same kinds in the Capital. Sure that Rina had her painting and device with her, she exited her bedroom to find Kore already waiting for her. Looking around her apartment, she hoped she will be back soon. "Come on, let's not waste time" at that Rina nodded and they left together.   
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8.47 am  
The streets of Armidia were already full with people, eager to get to the market and catch the early sales. Kore and Rina walked down one of the smaller ones and before long they were greeted with the sight of the fountain. It was a delicate thing, beautiful and white. In fact, it was a one of a kind, which made it immediately recognizable. Sitting in front of it, Jaime and Zeph seemed engaged in some kind of a debate, their bags beside them. However when the two lovers saw their friends, they got up and smiled. 

"Took you long enough, did you stop on the way here to gaze into each other's eyes? " Jame teased, mischief dancing in his eyes. The girls instantly blushed(something that happened often these days) and Kore glared weakly at the boys. But before she could say anything, the sound of car engine interrupted her. Two jeeps stopped before them and the man from yesterday, Silas, got out from the first one. Kore smirked and noted with satisfaction that a bruise has formed on his jaw. 

"A beautiful day isn't it? We will travel with these bad boys and will be in the Capital no later than this time tomorrow. We'll stop once, this evening, for a few hours, but other than that, no stops."he greeted and explained. Rina nodded and clapped her hands." Right ok, Zeph you're with me, Kore and Jaime you'll be together. After the break we will swap." The team nodded, but before they could proceed, Silas cleared his throat. 

" I'm afraid this won't do. In fact, you miss Alinsky will be travelling with me, while your friends will be in the other jeep.". Looking satisfied with himself, he didn't notice the glare Kore was giving him. "And why? I see more than enough space in your car for more than two people, so i don't see why the arrangement should be like that.". Rina questioned. 

" I have a few things i want to discuss with you and i would prefer if we were alone. Furthermore, if you say yes, you'll be welcome to ask questions yourself and when we get to the Capital, you may even ask for a few favors." He looked pointedly at Jaime, who shrunk a little bit, but looked hopeful. Rina hesitated, but after a moment sighed and nodded. At this, Kore was ready to protest, but her leader quickly placated. 

" I will have my comm in my ears always and check every two hours. It will be fine, i promise.". Although reluctant, the team looked more relaxed. Agreements were heard, before the boys got in the jeep. Kore still seemed uncertain. Rina smiled and hugged her, feeling some of the tension fall from her shoulders." I will be ok, Kori.". 

" I know, i know, just…if something happens to you…"She trailed off, unsure if she wanted to finish. Rina's expression softened and she smiled." I promise everything will be alright, big bird. "That got a nod in return,as well as a teasing smile for the nickname

The inside of the car was spacious and three people could comfortably fit in the backseat. Silas sat down next to her, while in the driver seat was a man with sunglasses, who only nodded in their direction. She felt the car start and sighed, before making herself comfortable. Turning on her comm, Rina asked if they heard her and after three murmured 'yes', she turned it off. Her only hope was that the hours will pass fast. 

"How did you four meet?" came the unexpected question from Silas. Rina narrowed her eyes and weighted the pros and cons, but figured there wasn't a real risk in telling him. "Me and Kore go way back. I think we were around 7 when we met each other. My grandfather and her mother knew each other so it was a matter of time until we got to know each other. I was 11 when Jaime, quite literally, stumbled into our lives. He was so short then, we could hardly believe he's older than us. "warm smile graced her face"Around this time Zeph showed up too. Jaime tried stealing from him in the market, but was unsuccessful. After that he quickly settled into the role of a protector and two years later they started dating. That's pretty much how we met."

Silas looked thoughtful, before opening his mouth again." Your friend, Jaime. We have the best doctors in the Capital and if he wants, he can start taking testosterone shots there. "The girl looked surprised at that." Oh, thank you. That is…quite generous."the car went through a slight bump, before he could reply." Consider it a reward for good behaviour. If you and your team continue to be good, more rewards will come." 

" We're not dogs." It was insulting he thought he could get away with this kind of manipulation. Amusement flickered in his eyes, but he didn't say anything." You said you can give me information on the monster. But when we first encountered your people, they looked confused about the Yaga. Why?" Rina looked expectantly at him. If he got to ask questions, she will too.

"The people you met before me were all low level agents. We call them scouts. They don't know anything outside of what is essential for the mission and seeing as we didn't expect this monster to show up, we didn't tell them."he explained. 

" So you just sent them to their deaths?"

" No, as i said, we didn't expect it to show up."

"But you knew there was a possibility?" 

"Of course, there's always a possibility. That's exactly why we sent them. They know the risk."

Having enough of the conversation, Rina turned towards the window and looked outside. They were already far enough from Armidia, that the only thing she saw was a desert. Sure, the occasional cactus or two could be observed, but all in all it was bare. Two more hours passed in relative silence. 

"What is the Capital like?" The question slipped before she could stop it. 

"Times better than your little town. It's peaceful and the weather is mostly warm. Technology prospers and people are happy. There is no poverty and crime is non-existent. It's a beautiful place.". He sounded proud saying this and the gleam in his eyes made him seem a little manic. Choosing not to comment on this, she turned on her comm and called the others. 

" Nightingale here, how are you guys?"the few seconds of silence she got in return worried her, but before she could freak out Zeph's voice passed through the communicator." All good here. Jaime and Kori fell asleep around 20 minutes ago. Other than that, everything is fine."she was glad to hear that, smiling as she imagined them. Jaime sleeping with his head in Zeph's lab and Kore's, on his shoulder. That pulled a smile on her face. But there was still something troubling her. 

"You're treated ok, right?" Silas let out something resembling a snort next to her, but Rina chose to ignore him. 

"Yeah, we're alright, really. Don't worry too much and stay safe." he reassured. She huffed, but still the smile stayed on her face and she hummed, before cutting off the connection.   
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Later

The next few hours were uneventful . She checked up with her team frequently and talked with Silas. From their conversations, she figured he was slightly narcissistic and like the sound of his own voice. The other thing was that even though he looked no older than 20, when he talked about the war, it was like he was there, fighting on the front lines, or strategising with the greatest military minds of their time. It was peculiar and she took a note to ask Jaime to keep a closer eye on him. 

In the late afternoon she let herself rest for a few minutes. Not really sleeping, but not truly awake. Rina was in this in-between state when she felt something touching her cheek. It was like a caress, more curious in nature, and immediately woke her up. Looking to her side, Rina saw Silas looking a little surprised, but ultimately unbothered.

"What are you doing?" she asked. 

"I was…testing something. Why are you so cold to the touch?" while the question was innocent enough it still made her blush. Mainly from embarrassment, but still. 'It's a good look-' Silas ended that thought before it took off and focused on Rina once again. 

"I…don't know. I've always been. What time is it?" even if she was sure that she hadn't dozed off for that long it was still good to know. 

"Late afternoon. In about an hour we're gonna stop and take a break, no more than a few hours. After that i would travel alone behind you, the big boy, Zephaniah if i'm correct, will ride with you" 

"Wait, wait, you're gonna travel alone? Why?" 

"That, dear, is none of your business. Don't worry, you're safe."Rina frowned and leaned back, before nodding. This was strange, but at least she'll have time to discuss some things with the team. 

Her only hope was that all this isn't a big mistake…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, well wasn't this one hell of a hiatus, haha. Im really sorry, writing this chapter was one of the hardest things i've done, cause i went back and edited soooooo many times. But anyways, like always, constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged and if they are any grammatical mistakes, feel free to point them out. Till next time(which hopefully will be sooner than later)~


End file.
